The header image is the default header image for the site.

Mar 25, 2019

Fixing Potholes Permanently

After yesterday’s snow storm in the St. Louis area once the snow melts everyone will most likely encounter a new pothole during their daily travels. Luckily MODOT will be out in full force repairing these nuisances.

Potholes are inevitable in March every year with the increase in moisture and fluctuating temperatures. Potholes form when water seeps into cracks in the pavement and then freezes (expands). The freezing water cause pavement to crack and continual traffic deteriorates these areas further causing loose debris.

Thankfully, these potholes can be fixed, even during the winter, by using UPM Permanent Cold Mix Asphalt. UPM Permanent Cold Mix Asphalt is the only MODOT approved Permanent Cold Mix Asphalt in the St. Louis area. MODOT and surrounding Municipalities in St Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, Jefferson, Crawford, Washington, Phelps, and Counties beyond buy UPM from West Contracting year round to permanently fix their potholes.

One of the benefits of UPM over hot mix asphalt is that it can be used at low temperatures when asphalt plants are not running. It can also be used in wet conditions and placed directly in a pothole that has water in it. UPM can also be stored in stockpiles for up to one year. Hot mix must be used while hot within a few hours of picking up from the asphalt plant. Potholing using hot mix asphalt often leads to throwing mix away because the mix cools off too quickly and hardens being unworkable.  UPM Permanent Cold Mix asphalt if left over can be restock piled for later use. NO WASTE!

As winter starts coming to an end and you see a pothole on a public road call MODOT (They want us to call) (888-ASK-MODOT) or your local municipality. They want to know so they can fix it ASAP before drivers cause serious damage to their vehicles. They would much rather have you call about the pothole not your cars alignment or worse!

If you have asphalt repairs on your residential driveway or commercial parking lot contact the paving experts at West Contracting for an estimate. If it’s a small pothole you could do yourself with our 50lb bags of UPM sold right at our office in Brentwood!